Success Stories
Sheena is 21 years old. After living a brief childhood that consisted of a father who was incarcerated, a mother who was chronically homeless, an assault, living on the streets, and caring for 3 younger brothers, Sheena found Cocoon House. Sheena received services through the Emergency Shelter Program, as well as U-Turn and the Cocoon Advocates outreach program. Through the support of people who cared, Sheena was able to get her life turned around and is currently working on a degree in Criminal Justice and Social Services. She has been able to maintain sobriety, employment, and is living in an apartment on her own. Sheena is truly a success story.
Stephanie was 16, five months pregnant and living with her father in a motel on Highway 99. That’s when a Snohomish County Health District nurse called Cocoon House. Stephanie needed food, clothing, medical coverage and a safe place for her and her baby to live. Through Cocoon House, Stephanie learned how to access services for herself and her baby, that taught her about motherhood, budgeting, meal planning and how to get help for mental health and drug and alcohol issues that she had dealt with in her family. Cocoon staff worked with her on employment skills, taught her how to do a resume, and practiced interviewing for a job with her. Most importantly, Stephanie found a safe place, where she now rents a room, for her and her baby to live.
Amy was almost 18 when her house burned down on Christmas Eve. In exchange for a place for her and her mom to stay, she dropped out of high school to become the full time caretaker of her sister’s children. By January, Amy had found Cocoon House. As she dealt with her family conflicts, Cocoon helped her sign up for transitional housing for young adults. While, waiting to hear if she had gotten housing, she stayed at Cocoon House, stayed in contact with her family and resumed her education. Amy moved into transitional living on her 18th birthday and continued to attend high school. She was especially excited at her improved study skills now that she had a quiet desk to work at.
Nora, an unemployed, single mother of three (13, 12 and 7), called Cocoon House in September regarding her 13 year old son, Tony. Nora and Tony were both showing extreme symptoms of depression. Her family had an extensive history of substance abuse and homelessness and she was intensely concerned about her son falling into this cycle. Cocoon’s therapist worked with Nora to develop an “Action Plan” to address these issues. It consisted of Nora getting services and learning more about how her family situation affected Tony and getting help for herself and Tony. Nora was also to talk to Tony, letting him know she understood what he was going through and that she was getting him help. After the initial contact, Nora reported that the situation with Tony had improved. His mood was better and he seemed more engaged. In following up with her Action Plan, she was able to notice improvements in herself and Tony. She also attended Cocoon classes on teen development to help her better understand how Tony responded to things going on in his life and their family. By the end of her contact with Cocoon House, Nora felt that she and Tony had improved greatly. She was able to find employment while Tony had begun playing football and achieving passing grades.
Melanie and her family relocated to Snohomish County six years ago for an employment opportunity. Three years later she found herself divorced, bankrupt and struggling to make ends meet. Her three children suffered also, and demonstrated their troubles with drug abuse and scrapes with the law. After her youngest son, James, got into trouble, the court system referred them to Cocoon House. They attended a two day seminar, and Melanie immediately noticed a difference in James’ personal responsibility—within a day he cleaned his room and began making positive decisions. Today, James is doing well in school and has had no further problems with the law. On top of that, as a result of what Diane learned, she was able to change the dynamics of her family so much so that her daughter stopped abusing drugs.
Jeremy at fifteen had family problems that had turned tragic, leaving him and his three brothers homeless. His brothers found places to go—Jeremy found Cocoon House. He spent a year living at Cocoon House growing up and learning to be a self-sufficient adult. Jeremy obtained a job, learned how to budget, got his GED and learned to set goals and achieve them. A month after his 16th birthday he was emancipated from his parents and a year later he enrolled in the military. Now as a married adult, Jeremy has stayed in contact with Cocoon House by both speaking at and attending Butterfly Graduation.
Cocoon House first began working with Ashley when she was 14 years old. Ashley came in and out of Cocoon, accessing it when she had no where else to go. In between these times, she relied on her boyfriend for emotional support and housing—when they found somewhere to stay together, she moved only to return to the street and then Cocoon House. At this time, her mother was struggling with a cancer diagnosis that left her unable to care for her. This went on for little more than a year. Cocoon House never turned Ashley away, despite her destructive pattern. After more than a year she finally stayed, this time enrolling in Bryman College to become a medical assistant. She got a job at Taco Bell and started to show improvement in her decision making skills and self-reliance. Though there have still been bumps along, including her mother’s passing, Ashley has continued to grow and become more responsible in her decisions.
At 17, Kelly was pregnant with her first child. She had been homeless most of her teen years, and hadn’t been to school in the last two years. Not only were her parents not involved in her life, but her father had recently died of a heroine overdose. That’s when her friend referred her to Cocoon House. She began working with Cocoon, who helped her learn to set and accomplish goals and locate resources for her and her baby. After working with Cocoon House she was able to find safe and stable housing, reengaged in school and is trying to get her high school diploma. Amy learned how to manage a household budget, build healthy relationships with others, and feels confident about herself and her ability to provide for both her and, Natalie, her five month old daughter.
Sean came to Cocoon House with his mother. He was a child of divorce and had been getting into trouble with the court systems. Sean was associating with the wrong individuals and had been arrested and charged with a felony. Part of his probation was contingent on him completely one of Cocoon House’s programs. While attending this two day seminar, he learned to better communicate and understand where his mother was coming from. Today he credits much of his getting back on track to the changes that were made by Cocoon’s program in his family life. He is now attending college on a soccer scholarship and recently spoke publicly about his experience with Cocoon House at the Annual Butterfly Graduation.
At age 17, Maria was struggling at home. She didn’t get along with her parents, especially her mom, and was showing serious signs of depression. As things escalated at home, she became more withdrawn and indifferent. One night she and her mother got into a fight and Maria left home. She came to Cocoon House with no where else to go. Soon afterwards she began to thrive and mend things with her mom, with the help of the on-site therapist and caring staff. With support from the staff, she made the honor roll and was able to compete in multiple extra curricular activities. Of course Cocoon House staff were present at these events to cheer her on. After turning 18, she was able to move out of Cocoon House and in with her parents while she found an apartment. She has plans to attend college and become a journalist.
Leonard, the father of 15 year old Simon, contacted Cocoon House because of his son’s increasingly violent behavior. Simon, his son, had gone through some minor setbacks in the athletic arena almost one year earlier that proved to be traumatic. He began exhibiting signs of depression, and began lashing out verbally and later physically at his father. That’s when Leonard, not ready to give up on his son, called Cocoon House’s Prevention Program for parents, Project SAFE. During his phone consultation, Leonard worked with a Master’s Level Therapist to create an Action Plan that centered on improving his relationship with Simon, making the home environment safe, and taking better care of himself. To date, Simon’s oppositional behaviors have decreased and there has been no further physical violence. Leonard reports that he is feeling more connected to his son, more energized and more hopeful. He credited Cocoon’s Project SAFE with the drastic changes in his relationship with his son.
Rachel recently turned 18. For the past nearly two years she had lived at Cocoon House. Before coming to Cocoon, she was living with her mom who was diagnosed with severe medical and psychological problems. Rachel began taking care of her sisters and eventually had to drop out of school. One day Child Protective Services came to her house and took Rachel to live with relatives. This didn’t work. Rachel moved around from foster home to foster home before she gave up and ran away. She spent 3 months on the streets trying to find a meal or somewhere safe and warm to sleep. She asked her social worker for help, and her social worker brought her to Cocoon House. During her stay at Cocoon, she obtained her GED, and recently became a freshman at a local community college. Rachel was recently accepted into Cocoon House’s newest program for teens aging out of State-care. In this program, Cocoon House can help her further her education and obtain solid employment so she won’t be on the streets again. Rachel’s dream is to someday open a restaurant and become a chef.
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